Bringing Back Will
by Ward Orphan
Summary: SPOILER ALERT: Maddie is the only one who can pull Will out of his gloom after Alyss's death. She puts her life on the line to help him in his most important mission yet, but will she be able to bring him back to the Will she once knew?
1. Chapter 1

**A.N: Hello! This is my first time writing fanfiction and I am very excited. This story takes place after the 12th book, disregarding the epilogue. Fair warning, if you haven't read the 12th book, this is a huge spoiler. Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Maddie awoke and peered through her window at the pre-dawn sky. She sighed. Will had given her the Saturday off, and she had intended to spend it sleeping in. Nearly a year of Ranger training had convinced her body otherwise. She rose and picked up a fresh set of clothes and walked to the washroom. After she had lit the fire, she sat down to wait for her hot shower-bath. By now, her mind had caught up to her body in alertness, and she began to think of what she would do today. Will was riding into Castle Araluen for a meeting with her parents, Gilan, and Halt. Maybe she would join him. She hadn't been to the castle since being taken on as an apprentice, and once the prospect of sleeping in had disappeared, a free day around the cabin didn't have much appeal. Her shower-bath was now warm and she reveled in its reviving power on her sore muscles. When she had dressed, she smelled the familiar scent of coffee wafting from the center room, accompanied by the smell of frying bacon and scrambled eggs. She smiled as she thought of her first reaction to Will's breakfasts. That was another way she had changed.<p>

"Morning Maddie, I see you're up to see me off."

"I didn't have a choice" she grumbled. Then she added, "Could I come with you?"

"I suppose you could come along, but you wouldn't be allowed in our meeting." Secretly Will had been hoping for this, as Maddie still had a great amount of skill at getting in trouble when she was bored. He also had a few other surprises planned. He had already informed the castle that she would be joining him.

They quickly ate their breakfast and readied their horses. Soon they were off on their journey.

_Something about early morning rides is quite amazing._ Maddie thought.

_Not if you're the horse._

Maddie and Bumper's communication had grown and grown over the past months, and Maddie had found that she could never get the last word with her horse. She often wondered if Will talked to Tug as well. She thought she had caught him at it once or twice.

The rest of their ride passed in silence, and soon they mounted the final hill to where the castle was visible. Both stopped their horses. Neither had said anything about it, it was simply the natural reaction to the sudden glory of Castle Araluen. Even for Maddie, the appearance was breathtaking. Once again she realized how much she had changed. The castle had gone from being her prison to being worthy of awe.

They were close to the drawbridge now. It was lowered, as was the custom during daylight hours. Two sentries stood guard at the outer end. They came to attention and saluted the two Rangers, and one sent Maddie a quick wink. She recognized him as Gordon, one of the sentries that she would give her game to during her late night hunting excursions back at the castle.

"Welcome back, Ranger Maddie, and of course, Will Treaty." Gordon said with another wink. He gestured them to ride past, stepping aside to accentuate the invitation.

Maddie couldn't help but smile and she got the feeling that Gordon was among the few people who didn't find it strange that she, a girl, was in the Ranger Corps. He knew enough of her personality to know that she would fit right in.

They were greeted by an apprentice ranger, as was Gilan's custom.

"Good morning, Ranger Will, Ranger Maddie. My name is Cory and I'm assisting the Commandant. The Commandant wishes to see you, Ranger Will, in his study. And you, Ranger Maddie are requested into the presence of the King and Queen. I will show you to your rooms and call you when they are ready," he announced, sounding very much like this was a practiced speech.

Maddie wondered how they had known she was coming. This was only going to be her accompanying Will. She glanced over at him and realized that he had been anticipating this. He must have told them she was coming before she told him.

_How does he know what I'm going to do before I do it?_ She wondered. One of their lessons had been staying unpredictable in actions and thoughts.

_Rangers can predict everyone. Except, of course, their horses. We remain a mystery._

_Not if I give you an apple._

"Maddie" Will was trying to get her attention. She hadn't realized him dismount and hastily followed suit. She could have sworn she heard Bumper snigger.

They left their horses to be cared for by the stable hands. Maddie was reluctant to let Bumper go, but Will pointed out that the boy would tell the tale for years how he had taken care of Will Treaty's horse. They were also short on time as Gilan had requested Will immediately. Maddie wondered what this was about. If they were to receive a mission, Gilan would have sent a letter or visited the cabin. He would have liked an excuse to travel to Redmont.

Despite the unorganized thoughts running through her head, her mental focus lay on her meeting with her parents. Only twice in her life had this meant something good. As a Ranger she had only experienced good things from her parents, but was always worried that her luck would wear out. Her biggest fear was that she would be forced to leave the Ranger Corps. No one had talked at all about what lay beyond her one year of training, and she knew it was nearly over. She could imagine her parents explaining to her that it was time to get back to her duties as princess, that her little adventure was over, hope you had fun. She didn't think she would be able to bear it.

Maddie was jolted from her thoughts by a knock on the door.

"Their Majesties will see you now."

She sighed and followed the guard, fully aware that this meeting could change her life forever.


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N: Hi! I wrote two chapters today, so super speedy update (don't expect this). Hopefully I can bring you more each Saturday if not more often! Please review!**

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><p>Maddie steeled herself as she walked through the door to the royal apartments, determined not to show her nervousness.<p>

"Welcome Maddie," Horace said. Maddie carefully searched his face and tone for traces of anger. When she found none, she let her guard drop slightly, but her training caused her to continue to search their tones throughout their conversation.

"Hello Father, Mother," she nodded to each then replied, "You requested my presence?"

"Maddie, we need to talk about your future," Cassandra explained in a motherly tone that Maddie knew too well.

_Here it comes._ Most discussions of her future ended with more rules and more restrictions. Now, however, her worries lay in being allowed to continue with her next four years of training.

"As you know, you will rule this land when we are no longer fit to do so. You will guide the people of Araluen through hard times, through droughts, wars, rebellions, and times of peace. You know as well as I do that you must be prepared, and that you cannot run away from your responsibilities." Cassandra paused, allowing Maddie to recollect her thoughts. Each word of her mother's speech had been familiar, and it had led to extra classes, less freedom, and more time spent accompanying her parents in long, boring meetings.

"However," Cassandra continued, "I have tried time and time again to make decisions for you and you seem stubbornly inclined to ignore them. Will has definitely made progress in controlling your... character, and has suggested that I let you make your own choice."

There was a knock on the door, and Horace opened it to admit Halt, Gilan, and Will. "I thought we might have company," Cassandra added with a chuckle, "It seems they wish to help you make up your mind."

Gilan ignored Cassandra's comment and instead spoke directly to Maddie. "As you know, you have served as an apprentice to Ranger Will for one year now. You have proved yourself very capable as a Ranger and performed very well. You even seem to have saved Will's life. Very few people can claim to have done that. As is custom for those who have trained for a year, I wish to give you this." He pulled out an oakleaf pendant made of solid bronze and placed it in her hands. As she recognized it, she wondered why she wasn't expecting this.

She had learned at the gathering that every apprentice received one after completing a full year of training, which she was very aware she had done, and she knew that it marked them as official apprentice ranger until their training was over in four years. Suddenly it all made sense. Will's meeting with Halt and Gilan, the mysterious meeting with her parents, the talk of futures.

"Mother, Father, I want to remain with Will to complete my training in the Ranger Corps and earn my silver oakleaf. I want to serve the realm as a ranger. Is that okay?"

"You have our blessing," Responded Horace. "Just one thing."

"What's that?" asked Maddie

"Make sure to visit. We've missed you."

Maddie ran over and hugged him tight, then pulled her mother into her embrace. "I will," she said, and wasn't surprised to find that she meant it.

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><p>Whatever she had thought becoming a real apprentice would be, this wasn't it. Maddie's first assignment was to work with Gilan and learn what it means to be Commandant. She understood that each commandant was once an apprentice and this training would help her if she ever came into that position. After only one week of searching through and categorizing reports, she was sure this was no work that she would ever choose to do. A significant boredom was coming over her, and it was resulting in her work sliding. After only getting in the way all day, Gilan knew he needed to talk to her.<p>

"Maddie, I know you have a higher potential than this. You aren't applying yourself."

"I'm sorry Gilan, I'll do better, I promise." She half expected this to be the end of it and to just go back to work.

"No Maddie. I've seen you make apologies to your parents and they seem to last about as long as it takes to say them, if that long. You need to understand how much potential you truly have. You were trained by Will Treaty, the greatest ranger Araluen has ever seen. You are the princess and will inherit the throne. You are the first female in the Corps. You have introduced a new weapon to Rangers. You have already done more than most earning their silver oakleaf. Do you understand?"

Maddie thought this over. Gilan's speech was much better than anything her parents had told her, but it seemed to give her more reason to want to be back on the field. She didn't see what this had to do with paperwork. "I understand. Do I go back to work now?" she asked?

"You have the rest of the day off. I want you to go on a long ride on Bumper and think this over. I want you to understand how many people want you to do well. Slacking because you are bored gives you the weak character that will bring disappointment. I'm sure Bumper is going to be happy to see you."

Maddie took this to mean she was excused, and went to saddle up Bumper. Trying to combat her natural cynicism, she gave honest thought to what Gilan had said. She try end to think of who had expectations for her. He definitely did, but he had expectations for every apprentice. His job was to keep all of the rangers top notch.

Her parents had expectations for her. They wanted to see her grow in not so much in ranger skills, but in the skills needed to run a kingdom. They needed to see her growing in judgement and leadership. They had been so happy to see her change in her regard to those of lower rank. She was their only child, they needed her to be an heir.

Will had expectations for her. She was his apprentice, after all. Every time she accomplished something new the grief in his face faded a little, even if it was only for a moment. She suddenly remembered his words from so many months ago.

_Thank heavens for Maddie. At least she gives me something to take my mind away from the pain and grief. She's the one bright spot in my life._

If anyone could relieve Will's grief, it was her. She had to make his bright spot brighter.


	3. Chapter 3

Maddie had only one week left of her time with Gilan, and was finding that the paperwork wasn't as bad as she thought. When she applied all of her brainpower to to the reports, she was finding the patterns she was watching for easy to see. She had come up with many possible plots, and most had been rejected as extremely unlikely by Gilan, but a few had been sent on to be looked into. Whenever the work got boring and she was tempted to just skate along Will's words rang in her head.

_She's the one bright spot in my life_

At the moment, she was working on collecting evidence for another one of her theories. Over the past two and a half years, many people of high rank or importance to the crown had been killed in bandit attacks. So far she had found four, which Gilan told her wasn't unusual, but she was determined to unravel a plot. Gilan often told her that she had too active of an imagination and wasn't using her common sense. This time Maddie was sure there was something, but she didn't have enough evidence yet.

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><p>With just one day left with Gilan, Maddie wasn't ready to leave. She was sure she could find more evidence if she had more time, but she was forced to report today.<p>

After all of her evidence had been laid out, Gilan shook his head. "Maddie, it doesn't work that way. You can't make things up because you want them to be that way."

"I'm sure this time," Maddie pleaded, "I've just got a feeling that something is going on here."

"You've said that about everything you've come up with."

"Can I have Will look at it?"

"He's going to respond the same way I am."

"Please Gilan, just let me try."

"Okay, but if Will says no, you won't disobey him, right?"

Maddie crossed her fingers behind her back. "I promise." She wasn't sure why, but she felt that this was her way to prove herself, just like Gilan said. And if she had to do it alone, she would.

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><p>As Maddie rode into the clearing, she heard Tug give a welcoming call. Bumper eagerly responded and it was no surprise to her at all that Will was standing on the veranda waiting for her.<p>

"Will, Gilan sent a mission for you!" Maddie exclaimed. She had no intentions of letting Will turn down her mission.

"Come in and we'll look it over."

Will had a pot of fresh coffee waiting and poured some for himself and Maddie as he read over the sheaf of papers in front of him. Maddie waited expectantly as he read through the papers, then read through them again.

"He didn't send any of his thoughts on the matter?" Questioned Will.

"He didn't think he needed to since he explained it all to me." Will raised a quizzical eyebrow at his apprentice. She was very excited about this mission. Then he realized that she had been cooped up in the castle for four weeks with nothing but paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. To his energy-filled apprentice, this would have been torture. Any mission would be exciting.

The papers in front of him were the details of many bandit attacks where someone of high rank was killed. As he read them again he realized that no body was ever found for any of them. Some were taken for spoils, others lost in a fire or thrown in a lake and never fished out.

He looked up at Maddie. "What sort of plot do we have here?"

"Well," she began, "someone has been kidnapping nobility. They are doing it very well, spreading it out over a period of years and establishing no connection between the individual kidnappings, but I think we can find them."

Will nodded. If this really was a kidnapping, it was ingenious. The kidnapped didn't go missing, which would have called for a hunt. By leading people to believe they were dead, the bandits had guaranteed no search party. "What would the bandits want them for?" He said this half to himself, half to Maddie.

"They don't want a ransom, or they would have ransomed them already. Maybe they want them for Blackmail?" Maddie realized that this part of her story wasn't watertight, yet.

"Could be. Think how much it would affect you to see your dead loved one again. That could be an answer."

"We need to find out where they are hiding." Maddie attempted to move the conversation along. Will kept staring into space, and she was sure that they could get farther if he would keep moving.

"That could be helpful."

"I know how we can do it. I've been thinking about this since I left the castle. We need to find out where they are and get inside their camp to hear their plans. Well," Maddie was pretty sure Will would reject her idea, but it seemed the best solution to her, and also a great way to prove herself. She let the next sentence out all in one breath. "I'm the princess so they would probably love to kidnap me and then I could..."

"No!" Will's voice was firm and commanding. Maddie flinched at his sudden shout. "I will not allow you to go and get yourself kidnapped! You don't even know what you are up against! For all you know they really are killing their captives!" He stopped his rant and his tone softened. "Maddie, I won't let you throw yourself into danger without being sure of what we're up against. I can't lose you too." The grief lines in Will's face deepened, and Maddie was reminded of when he had first lost Alyss. Maddie's heart sunk. She had been trying to make him feel better, to distract him, and she knew she had failed.

"I'm so sorry Uncle Will. I just wanted to help." She hugged him and he pulled her close.

"Don't worry Maddie, we'll get them."

Maddie wasn't worried about getting them, she was worried about getting him.


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N. Hello! No school today, so a new chapter for you! Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Will and Maddie dismounted and watered their horses. They had been riding all day toward the town of Groswald in Caraway fief, the site of the most recent of the reports. The Baron's highest military commandant had been killed in a bandit attack after returning from a meeting with the head commandants of the other fiefs at Castle Araluen. His body was dragged away with the bandits when they drew back their attack.<p>

When they had nearly reached the town, Will and Maddie dismounted again and led the horses to a clearing that would be their home for as long as they were in Groswald. Once the horses were settled, Maddie started to get on her disguise. Her breeches and shirt were replaced with a worn cotton dress and apron with hidden sheafs for her knives. Her hair was tied back in a headscarf. She rubbed some dirt into her skin until her face maintained a smudged, slightly dirty look. To finish off her disguise, she rolled in the dust of the road, giving herself the appearance of a traveler who had walked a long ways on the dusty road. She and Will then hoisted heavy packs filled with clothing and other items that would fit their characters. At the bottom of the packs were their cloaks and bows wrapped in oilskins. Their disguises completed, the started the long walk into town.

They came to the inn and found it nearly empty as most people were still at work. "Would ye' be likin a bed fur t'night?" The innkeeper was a rounded man who had a droopy mustache but not much hair otherwise. He had a thicker drawl than his dwelling place called for. Maddie decided this was probably because of his obvious friendliness with ale.

"Could we sleep in de stable? I don' 'ave enough fur a room," Will said. His accent wasn't a perfect copy of the innkeeper's, as Maddie had expected, but is seemed to come from nearby. Maddie also noticed he hadn't added a sorrowful tinge as she would have. He seemed to accept the fact that there was no way he would be able to live highly. When she thought about it, the latter did seem a lot more like a poor carpenter.

"Der stable ain't such a nice place t' stay dese days what with dem bandits runnin around." The innkeeper mentioned this casually, though Maddie could tell that he was aiming to scare. His bandit tale could earn him some extra money.

"Have the bandits attacked?" Will seemed genuinely worried now, though Maddie knew This was what he was hoping for.

"O yah, dey pu' up a fight. Had to have some help ride in fro' Caraway t' pu' dem down. Even den dey got de commander dead, an' gone wi'out a trace." By now his voice was obviously trying to scare, like a spinner telling a horror tale to a group of children.

"I don't think I could afford a room, but I can't leave Marta in danger of bandits." Maddie noticed the mention of her and stored her new name deep in her brain, making it as much a part of her as her real name was. This would help her not to sell herself out if someone else was named Maddie in the village. "Maybe she could work in the kitchen..." Will trailed off, waiting for the innkeeper's answer.

"Agatha! I got ye a new wench, do ye wan' 'er?"

Agatha came bustling out of the kitchen. She was a plump woman with brown curls escaping her headscarf plastered to her face with sweat. She had obviously been working in the kitchen for a while, judging from the sweat of her brow and the spills on her apron. She sized Maddie up, and seeming to decide her to be worthwhile, she responded, "We're in need o' a good wench, de tavern's pre'y near always full." Listening to his wife's talk made the innkeeper's drawl stand out even more. "You'll come t' work righ' afte' your lunch, is dat understood? We 'ave a lot o' work t' do an' I don't pay if de work ain't done."

Maddie nodded humbly, signaling that 'dat was understood', and followed Will and the innkeeper to their new room. She was surprised at how small it was. There was one bed pushed up against a wall and barely enough floor space for another person to lie down. She would have almost preferred the stable. However, she knew demanding to stay in the stable would have added a helping of suspicion to their characters. Will and the innkeeper were haggling over price and how much her labor was worth. They finally settled on a price, with Marta's pay going to Will, the amount depending on how hard she worked. Maddie knew Marta was going to have to work very hard to support their lodging and not raise suspicion about the size of Will's purse.

Once the innkeeper had left, Maddie unpacked her things, leaving her bow in its oilcloth underneath the bed. Her knives were still on her in a special sheath sewn into her dress. In her pack she found several items that would fit a poor country girl and set them out. Once both Maddie and Marta were unpacked, she ventured downstairs to the kitchen.

Agatha hadn't been kidding when she said that the inn would be full. Maddie was immediately put to work peeling and chopping potatoes for the stew, then bustled back and forth collecting orders and delivering food and ale. Soon she was drenched in sweat from the heat of the kitchen and the work she was doing. As she passed between the tables, she tried to catch snatches of conversation, but nothing was very useful. The most important thing she heard all night came as she helped to clean up the kitchen. One girl's comment about locking the door turned the talk to the bandit attacks.

"Dat was de most biggest group o' bandits I ever saw," one girl piped up.

"You saw dem?"

"Well, I heard dey were many."

"'Ow long 'as it been dat de Baron send 'is troops fur bandits?'

"We're lucky de did."

"I heard dat de Baron's highest commander led dem." Maddie said, hoping to recreate Will's accent.

"Dey say 'e was killed in de battle."

"De bandits took 'im away wit dem, probably wan t' get 'is gold."

"I heard 'e wore gold rings an' gold in 'is ears an' gold in 'is belt."

"Dose bandits is pro'ly rich by now." The remaining girls nodded, and Maddie realized the conversation was over, and headed upstairs to bed. Though her feet dragged with weariness, she was full of energy inside, anticipating how proud Will would be when she told him of the conversation in the kitchen.


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N. Sorry no update last weekend, but I was overflowed with homework. (I'm looking at you, AP classes!) Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Maddie woke up to the sound of movement in the hallway. Concealing her original jolt, she lay still and maintained her slow, deep breathing. Inside, her mind was racing. She was sleeping on her side, facing the wall. In her limited vision she estimated it to be just after dawn.<p>

"Good morning Maddie," Will greeted her. She sighed, doubting she would ever be able to fool her teacher. "Your breathing returned to normal too fast for it to be a regular pattern of sleep. The biggest mistake most people make..."

Maddie joined him on the last part, "Is over adjusting, I know. What are we doing today?"

"I'm going to see what I can get for work. I hear there is a spinner in town you could listen to."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. After a second, Agatha's voice rang out, "Do ye' 'ave any laundry t' wash?"

Will pulled out their 'traveling clothes' and deposited them into her blanket. "Thank ye', we'll be down in a bi'" Will responded in his Northern accent. Then he and Maddie hustled to get ready and head down for breakfast. After healthy helpings of ham and eggs, Maddie went out to find the spinner. Most towns had a large green space used for village gatherings and markets, and without much wanderings she found it. Grosswald had a small green with a few trees, one of which held the village children. The tree was perfect for beginning climbers with low, sturdy limbs and not many small branches. She ran over to join them.

"Who'r ye'?" the oldest boy asked.

"My name's Marta. My pappy 'n me is travelin' through. 'E's lookin' fur sum work."

The boy shrugged, "how far do ye' think ye' can go?" He gestured to the tree he was sitting in.

Maddie shrugged back, took off her shoes, and started to climb. As she climbed past the branches where the oldest children sat, she could see their looks of awe. The branches got smaller and started to sway in the wind, and Maddie reveled in the freeing feeling. She hadn't climbed a proper tree since before she received her oakleaf. It seemed like such a long time ago, though it couldn't have been more than a month. Finally she stopped and looked down.

"Where did ye' lern t' climb like dat?" a little girl asked quietly.

Maddie responded with another shrug, "Where I cum from, we has lots o' trees, tall'r than de tavern, all arou' the town."

After their first encounter, Maddie was welcome with the kids whenever she didn't have work. The days passed, playing with them until lunch, working in the kitchen until bedtime. However, her routine grew restless as neither she nor Will found any information not in the report. Eventually, they moved on to another town, then another. Each was the same: find work, get to know the children, find no new information. She could sense in Will that she wasn't the only one restless.

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><p>Will sat down on his thin, hard mattress and sighed. Was he losing his touch? He was sure that Halt could have figured out something useful by now. He had tried every tactic he had been taught and still he found nothing. Every day Maddie was getting more restless, but her respect for him kept her silent. Will felt that unless he found something soon, he would be failing his apprentice. The main problem was that there was no pattern. The only similarities in the reports were the style. They would have to find some way of predicting an attack.<p>

Maddie burst through the door, her hair matted to her face with sweat and some new spills on her already dirty apron. Her eyes betrayed the exhaustion that long hours in a kitchen provided. Seeing him, her face changed, "What's wrong?" Apparently her eyes weren't the only ones bent on betrayal.

Will decided it was time to be blunt with his apprentice. "We need a way to predict where the bandits will strike next, and when."

"Perhaps if we were to send a decoy, a really high up official that seemed to have lots of information, the bandits would strike and we could follow them back."

"Maddie, if you're planning on risking your skin for this mission, my answer remains a no."

"Will," Maddie said, her voice pleading. She couldn't see what was wrong with her solution. Weren't rangers supposed to risk their skin? "You risked your skin on your second mission. You ran out onto the bridge as it was burning down to save mom. That's a lot more risky than this." This was her best card, one she had been waiting and waiting to play.

"Maddie, I knew exactly the danger of that bridge. I was familiar with fire and cliffs. I knew how they could hurt me. You don't know what dangers those bandits possess. You don't know why they want to steal people or what they are doing to them. You could be sold into slavery, or used to blackmail your parents, or beaten mercilessly until you betray them. Or, you could be killed for the fun of it." His voice had taken on a dangerous tone. He didn't seem angry, but steely cold in the way that only rangers possess. However, Maddie reasoned, he had seemed to support her idea a little more. He hadn't refuted that it was good in principle. Maddie was ready to see how good it was in practice.

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><p><strong>A.N. Sorry, another cliff hanger, but I think this is the best place to stop. Sorry again!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**A.N: Sorry for another long wait but my schedule is clearing up so I'll be able to put in chapters a lot faster. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it!**

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><p>Maddie awoke and yawned loudly. If Will was in their room, she wanted him to know she was awake. When she rolled around and opened her eyes, she realized it was a few hours past dawn. Will was nowhere to be seen. She dressed in her plain travelling dress and apron and straightened her sheets, then half-skipped down the stairs.<p>

"Hallo Mistress," she greeted the innkeeper's wife. "Is I late fur breakfast?"

"Ya, but dere's sum left." The innkeeper's wife dumped a healthy portion of oatmeal into a plate and followed it with some bacon and a mug of milk.

"Where is me pappie gone?" Maggie asked.

"He's out lookin' fur work again, dis time I think he went to de West past Finn River."

Maddie nodded, pretending she knew where Finn's River was, and finished her breakfast. Afterwards, she waltzed out back to the privy. The innkeeper's wife smiled as she watched her leave. Marta was always so bright and carefree, so unaffected by the hardship of an everyday adult life. When she was with the children in the green, she was full of stories and ideas for playing make-believe. Undoubtedly that would be where she would spend the rest of her morning and afternoon.

Maddie, however, had other ideas. She climbed the back of the inn up to her window and swung herself in. Now that she was expected to be outside, she wouldn't be missed for hours. She took a sack and stuffed it with her cloak, bow, shirt, and leggings, then slung it over her shoulder. She carefully climbed back down out the window and walked back to the privy carrying the sack.

"Marta," came a call from the kitchen.

"Ya Mistress," Maddie replied. She tried to stop her heart from beating so quickly. The words of the innkeeper's wife had startled her, and only careful training had kept her from jumping at the sound.

_The biggest mistake people make is thinking they've been caught_.

"You don' 'ave t' cum fur lunch t'day. I've enough help wi'out you."

Maddie cheered inwardly. Now she had even more time before she would be reported missing. Once she reached the privy, she ducked into the dense underbrush and pulled her cloak from the sack. She left her bow hidden in its oilskin for now, it would be useless to wear it now. She moved silently through the trees to the clearing where they had left the horses. Bumper whinnied a greeting when she came near. She noticed that Tug was again gone, and she pitied him having to play the simple workhorse. She fed Bumper an apple and mounted him, now stringing her bow and placing it on her saddle. She tucked her ever-growing hair into her cloak and set off. Her plan was so flawless. She wouldn't be noticed to be gone until supper, and then nothing would be done until Will came back late that night. He would be so surprised to see her bed empty. By then it would be too late to stop her. As she rode, she continued to tell herself and her horse how wonderful and brilliant her plan was and how wonderfully it was working. She hadn't passed anyone in quite some time, and her boasts were steadily rising out of a whisper. Her great pride made her oblivious to Bumper's snide remarks and really, any signal he gave whatsoever. It was thus that she barely noticed his loud whinny.

An arrow sprouted from her saddle, just inches in front of her. As it quivered, her pride turned to cold fear. Her opponent was obviously a skilled archer to have hit such a small target. She had no doubt that the saddle was indeed her opponent's target. If he wanted to kill her, she wouldn't still be alive. Still, she was faced with a horrible situation. If she tried to draw her bow, his arrow would undoubtedly reach her first. Her knives seemed to be her best option, but they wouldn't do her any good if she couldn't locate her attacker. In the end, she deemed it best to be armed and slowly grasped her saxe.

Another arrow split the shaft of the other. She placed her saxe back in its sheaf and raised up her hands, knowing that she was trapped. She wondered why she was so scared. She had set out to get kidnapped, but had never expected it to happen this early. Now she understood what Will had been talking about when he tried to explain unknown dangers. She started to really wonder what she would do next.

_Is this the right group of bandits? Will I have been kidnapped for nothing? Will I still be alive by nightfall? How long will it take for Will to find me?_

Her amazingly flawless plan was now full of flaws. Despite her original attempts to rid herself of her mentor, she found herself wishing that Will was here.

Her wish was granted. A dark figure strode out onto the road. "Congratulations. You've almost succeeded in getting yourself killed. Are you proud?"

Maddie was flooded with relief as she recognized her mentor. His voice was steely cold, forbidding her to regain her balance. He seemed to be waiting for an answer. "I'm sorry," was all she could muster.

Will was quiet as he guided her back to the inn, but Bumper couldn't help himself.

_You should have heard yourself. "I'm so amazing, I've got a pla-an"_

_Did you know what was going to happen?_ Maddie questioned.

_Of course! What do I not know? If only inferior beings weren't ashamed to ask their superiors for help._

Maddie returned this comment with a scowl. She was in no mood to have Bumper's wits dance around her. It was going to be a long ride back. Even worse than Bumper's comments were the ones that kept appearing in her mind.

_You've failed. _


	7. Chapter 7

Maddie looked up. She had barely noticed Bumper slowing, and now realized that they were back at the clearing. Will dismounted and led Tug in, giving him the command to stay silent. Then he turned to Maddie.

"Are you disappointed that the bandits didn't carry you off?" he asked.

All the time Maddie had spent trying to gain her composure crumpled. "I understand what you were talking about with unknown dangers and not having a plan." Will raised one eyebrow, waiting for more explanation. "I... well, I still want to be a help to the mission. Can you help me make a plan?" Maddie was humiliated and suitably chastened, but she wanted Will to understand that she wouldn't be giving up.

Will's expression softened. "We'll head back to the inn for tonight. Then tomorrow we head to Araluen."

"You mean we're giving up?" Maddie was appalled that Will would suggest such a thing.

"No ranger has ever given up. However, I feel it is time to make your location public. I'm sure there are some bandits who would love for you to visit them." Understanding dawned on Maddie. Will couldn't help but smile a little. He had wondered if he was being too rough on his apprentice, but the determined look in her eyes told him otherwise. She didn't know how proud he was of her.

They changed back into their villager clothes and walked back into town.

"Der da wench is. We was worryin' dat we'd lost 'er" The innkeeper greeted them as they walked in. "She hasn' ever missed a meal."

"She jus' came t' find me dis morning,'" replied Will. "She was missin' her pappie, dats all."

"Did ye find any work t'day? I'm afraid none has cum up here."

"Nay. I think we'll hit de road again early t'morrow mornin'. We've spent enough time searchin' here."

"You'd best be gettin' to bed den. Lots o' sleep makes de travelin' easier."

Will nodded to the innkeeper and they headed back up to their room. Maddie took the innkeeper's advice and bedded down early, though it would take a long time for her brain to finish processing the events of the day. It had all happened so fast, but now she was on the best track yet. Will was going to help her. and Will's plans never failed. After a while, the soft, even breathing of sleep came from Will's bed. Maddie wondered how he had found out about her plan. Eventually, she resolved that she would never know. Her heart was feeling surprisingly light. This confused her after the terrifying and humiliating events of the day. Then she recognized the feeling. She was finally back on track. Their mission was going to go somewhere, and she was going to help it get there. The thrill of the hunt was back.

* * *

><p>Maddie woke to a slight sound in the room. Someone's nearly inaudible footsteps echoed through her hearing. Remembering her past mistakes, she slowly brought her breathing back to normal. Her waking jerk turning into a slight movement from a nightmare. Her eyes were wide open, her ears straining for sound. She was sure she was doing nothing wrong.<p>

"Good morning Maddie" Came Will's voice.

Exasperated, Maddie sat straight up. "What did I do this time?"

"You need to listen for longer before you open your eyes. You had no way of knowing whether or not I would see them fly open. I could have been standing right in front of you, and then all your breathing training would be worth nothing." Every morning Will seemed to have a new criticism for her, and though she knew this was how she would learn, she couldn't help but become annoyed with it. She was waiting for the day when he would miss her waking up, but she feared it would never come.

"Are we leaving soon?" Though it was not yet dawn, Will was dressed and had packed their sacks, which were lying on his bed, which was already made.

"I've said our goodbyes to the innkeeper and his wife, but decided to let you sleep. After all, 'Lots o' sleep makes de travelin' easier.'" Maddie smiled at Will's exaggerated impression of the innkeeper's accent. It was even funnier knowing that he could make a perfect copy if he wished. Will waited while Maddie dressed and made her bed. Then they walked back to the clearing to gather the horses. It felt good to be taking off her peasant dress for the last time in a long time. Through its continual wear and tear, it had become less and less bearable. Once only one color, it was now sprinkled with multicolored patches and littered with spills.

The long ride to Castle Araluen was much more pleasant than her ride the previous night. She joked merrily with Bumper and he snorted, commenting on her overnight change of moods. When they reached the castle and were greeted, they were sent to one of the royal apartments for the night. Will went to give his report and plan to Gilan and Maddie made herself at home, reveling in the comfort of the mattress and the softness of the blankets. She hadn't had such a nice bed since she left the castle, and it was a welcome change. Just as she was starting to drift into sleep, there was a knock at her door.  
>"Come in"<p>

Maddie was most surprised to find that her visitor was her mother.

"Um, hello?" She was unsure how to respond to the appearance of her queen.

"Hello Maddie. Since you're home for a visit, I just wanted to say that you can talk anytime. Your father and I have missed you terribly." Cassandra swept Maddie up in a hug. "I love you so much." Her embrace was warm, and for a few minutes all Maddie's cares drifted away. Her mother smiled and tucked her exhausted daughter into bed, kissing her goodnight.


	8. Chapter 8

**A.N. Happy (late) Thanksgiving! My present to you is another chapter! I also want to let you know that I am very thankful for your reviews. It always makes me smile to read them! Enjoy**

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><p>Will walked the familiar stairways to Gilan's office. He knocked, then walked in.<p>

Gilan raised an eyebrow at Will's unannounced appearance. "What have you been doing for the past month?" Will and his apprentice had disappeared from Gilan's circle of reports without notice.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to get reports through to you. Our mission hasn't been going as well as one could hope."

Gilan's confusion grew. "What mission?"

Now Will was also confused. The commander wasn't prone to memory problems, and tended to be very curious about the status of missions. It wasn't like him to forget one. "When Maddie returned from assisting you, she brought back a new mission you had for us. We've been working on it this past month. Have you forgotten?"

"I never assigned you a mission." Suddenly it dawned on him. "What was this mission about?"

"Mysterious deaths without a body. We suppose it to be kidnappers. Why?"

"I didn't assign that mission to you. It was Maddie's project while she was here, and she asked if I would send you on this mission. I said that she could have you look at it. I guess she found a way to convince you to let her go."

Will's first reaction was anger. His apprentice had so readily lied to him, making up her own mission and affixing Gilan's stamp. Then he was surprised to feel pride welling up inside him. Gilan had overlooked this, and he would have too, but Maddie had caught it. After a month of looking into it, Will was sure that she was right. Finally he laughed. "She always seems to have a trick up her sleeve. Someone has to keep me on my toes."

* * *

><p>Maddie woke, but this time kept her eyes closed. She slowly regained her breathing and settled back down. Her body loosened again, but her senses were alert. She heard a movement from Will behind her and determined it was okay to open her eyes. She was planning how to properly surprise him when his voice broke through her thoughts.<p>

"Good morning, Maddie." Will's eyes danced as he saw the defeated look in his apprentice's eyes, followed by her gritting her teeth.

"What was wrong this time?"

"Your technique is very good, but now you need to jerk less when you wake up."

Maddie was appalled. "How on earth am I supposed to change my reaction when I'm asleep? In case you haven't noticed, I don't have control of my body when I sleep."

"We'll work on it. In the mean time, I have important things to discuss with you. It's about our mission, or more accurately, your 'mission'." Will's voice was growing closer to the cold, scolding tone that Halt was famous for.

"What do you mean 'my mission'?"

"The mission that you dreamed up. That you created. That you lied about receiving from Gilan. That we have been chasing for the past month. That mission." By now, Will's voice was cold as ice and hard as a stone.

Maddie exhaled slowly. She knew that Will would find out eventually, but she had been hoping that it wouldn't be until after she had left. "I suppose you won't let me leave now, will you?"

"No. I won't 'let you' go off on an idea that you have created and not properly thought out. I thought I made that quite clear after you tried to run off. On the contrary, I will require you as my apprentice to follow through on a well-thought out plan that you receive from Gilan and myself."

"You mean I'm still going?" Maddie had been worried that her plan to make Will proud was going to come to a screeching halt.

"First, we need to talk. I need to be assured that you will not get yourself killed."

Will talked Maddie through her entire capture and captivity. He explained her role in the mission, their communication, and her actions. He kept coming back to her character. She was playing herself, but not her current self. She needed to be the stuck-up royal that Horace and Cassandra had struggled to control. She needed to show no suspicious skills or mannerisms. She had to be simply another prisoner. Will was afraid it would be difficult for his apprentice to control her urge to do what she thought was right. Finally he had covered everything. Everything except one hard topic.

"Maddie, when you are captured, what will people think happened to you?"

"They'll think that I died. The bandits will have some sort of disaster or heroic death for me with no body found."

"Right. So what will your parents think? Will they know that you are alive and seem unworried about their only daughter and heir's death? Or will they have to deal with the news that you are dead?"

Maddie hadn't considered this before. She had found it obvious that her parents would be informed of their mission. She hadn't thought about how that would affect their mission. Will seemed to be testing her. The first choice was what she wanted for herself, but she knew the second was a better choice for their mission. "They will have to deal with it." She paused, "isn't there some other way to do it? I don't want them to suffer."

"I'm sorry Maddie, but there is no other option. Hurt to the mission is a hurt to your safety. If you get captured and then we can't stop the bandits, you will have a long captivity ahead of you. I know it is hard, but we don't have time for it to be hard anymore. You are leaving the castle at midday. Your maids will come to dress you an hour beforehand." Will got up, then added, "If I don't see you again, goodbye."

"Goodbye Will. I won't let you down." Maddie had never been more determined.


	9. Chapter 9

"Ow!" Maddie shrieked. She had been poked again by the tailors who had come to sew her new traveling outfits. Her old ones were very much too short, which attested to her growth over the past year.

"It would hurt less if you would be still."

Maddie sighed. This was one part of royal life she most decidedly did not miss. Finally, it was over. She was dressed in a modest dress that hugged her neck and reached to her wrists. The design was plain, but she still knew that the maroon fabrics would cost more than a year's wages for a peasant. The dress was accompanied by various thick petticoats and a long, thick cloak. The cloak was much heavier than her ranger cloak, and much more unwieldy. Its extra fabric didn't seem to lend any extra warmth. Her hair had been rolled into a tight bun that was pulling at her temples. Maddie couldn't wait until she could get back into her ranger clothes, or even Marta's ratty dress. Her hair longed to be free from the clutches of the bun.

Maddie was bustled from one room to the next, paying her respects to various people she didn't remember. Finally, she was rushed to the courtyard where a horse-drawn carriage was waiting for her. Five or six guards were standing around it, and she could tell that the horseman was having a hard time keeping the horses still. It seemed everyone was anxious to set off.

"Good bye Maddie," Cassandra said. "Make sure to tell your father hello for me."

"I will, mother. Good bye."

"I love you. I wish I could just keep my baby with me forever."

"I love you too, mom. Good bye."

"Good bye."

Maddie turned and walked to the carriage. She tried not to think about how this would be the last time she would see her mother until who knows when. She might not see her again ever.

Now she was in the carriage. The horses clopped through the gates and over the drawbridge. They held a steady trot, slightly slower than the normal ranger horse's lope, but still sure to eat up the miles. Maddie supposed these horses would also need much more time to rest. They were passing through the town, getting more and more rural as time went by. Once they were surrounded by nothing but farmer's fields, Maddie took out her hair and let it flap in the wind. The same wind forced her to leave her cloak on, as it bit straight through her sleeves. She watched the fields go by, farmers out working, harvesting, feeding cattle and horses, picking rocks from their field. Some small children were playing tag in their yard while their father was fixing the fence. Maddie's legs were getting stiff from sitting, and she wished her dress would permit her to get out and run a while. Even if it did, she doubted her guards would agree.

The carriage stopped and the horseman fed and watered the horses, giving them a rest and combing them down. Maddie stretched her legs by walking as much as possible, keeping to a slow ladylike pace. All to soon she was trapped in the carriage once again. They rode into a wood and soon Maddie's vision was completely covered by shades of green. Maddie wondered when and how the bandits would strike. Her nerves were tense and part of her hoped to just get it over with. She wondered how Will was keeping up. He hadn't told her how he would be following her, just that he would be. Maybe he was creeping through the forest next to her, or maybe he was riding behind them in disguise as a farmer on his mule. Maddie stuck her head out of the window to see, but the wind quickly brought it back in. After another stop to water the horses, they left the forest. Maddie had started to wonder if the bandits intended to capture her at all. They crossed a small river, then a larger one. The countryside was evolving into an untamed prairie with long grasses that swished in the powerful wind. Their carriage approached a very large, fast-moving river. Maddie settled down inside the carriage. She wanted to relax her nerves, and was sure that the bandits would wait for another wood for their ambush.

The next thing Maddie knew, she was sliding across her seat. The carriage had tipped toward the left at a dangerously sharp angle. She tried to peer out the window, but was thrown against the wall. The carriage was now almost horizontal. Water started pouring through the window and sucked the carriage under. Maddie gasped at the sudden chill. Her clothes where suddenly weights that clung to her. A second later she was pulled underwater. She realized that her choices were to sink or swim and her instincts told her to escape the carriage. She grabbed the sill and shoved downward with all of her strength. Already she was running out of air. It seemed to take forever to wretch herself free. As soon as she had left the protective wood, the current grabbed her cloak and pulled it down the river with her following. Desperately, she fought with the tie, trying to free herself once again. Her lungs were screaming for air and her fingers were numb from the icy water. Eventually the cloak was off. Maddie fought with all her strength to reach the surface, but her numb, air-deprived muscles were no match for the swift current. Panic was sweeping over her, making it hard to focus. She felt blackness creeping at the edges of her vision, threatening to take over.

_This is it._ Maddie thought._ This is all I could do. How have I come so far just to end it at the bottom of a river? Who will bring Will back now? I have failed him._

Maddie had no choice but to surrender herself to unconsciousness.

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><p><strong>A.N. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but it was too tempting. What do you think is going to happen next? Please review, as from now on the story starts to fall in place!<strong>


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